A Wicked Game
by Adaissquishy
Summary: Emma makes it to the Enchanted Forest and finds herself having to make tough choices in a game the Wicked Witch had set up for her to play.


**This is AU.**

**Emma makes it to the Enchanted Forest and finds herself having to make tough choices in a game the Wicked Witch had set up for her to play. **

**Rated T for some language, some violence. **

**This is also angsty. I just had a dream about this the other night and I just had to write it out. **

A pane of glass seemed to be all the separated Emma from Neal. Worlds had separated them and time had separated them and now he was there before her but it wasn't the way she had pictured it. He was covered in chains crisscrossing his back forcing him to remain in a kneeling position. His hands were bound together close to his chest. The only movement he seemed to be able to make was shifting his head. His shirt had been torn from his body and overall he looked disheveled from some altercation she didn't want to know about but knew must have happened as he was captured.

"Well Miss Swan, it seems you have spotted our guest. He didn't want to show up tonight so I had to rough him up a bit. I hope you don't mind." An evil cackled escaped the witches lips.

Emma turned around fury in her eyes. "What have you done to him? Let him go!" She reached for her sword but found the sheath empty. Her eyes drifted to the witches hands where her sword was disintegrating into a billion tiny particles. "Tsk tsk tsk Miss Swan. Is that anyway to treat your hostess? Apparently the world you come from never taught you any manners."

"I am sorry where are my manners?" Emma tried to step forward to land a punch but she found herself frozen in place. This witch was far more powerful than she had expected. She had barely made it to the Enchated Forest after her memories returned when she received a notice that Neal wanted to meet in the cave behind her parents castle. She thought it was just a date. She hadn't seen him since she got there and this gave her comfort knowing he was still alive but scared to meet her. When she had gotten into the cave though she saw the smoke rise around her and she ended up in the position she was in now.

"Miss Swan, let's get down to business shall we. I want to play a little game with you. If you want that man free than all you have to do is play."

"What kind of game?"

"See that lever right there?" The witches green scaly hand pointed to a large wooden lever on the floor in front of the glass wall that separated them from Neal. "Yeah, I see it. what, I just pull it and the glass disappears or something?"

Another cackle. "Oh something will happen. Why don't you give it a pull and see. Word to the wise though, I wouldn't pull it all the way at once." With that the witch vanished though her cackle continued to echo throughout the room.

Once she was completely gone Emma was able to regain control of her body. She moved towards the lever. Her eyes drifted to Neal and she saw the witch appear behind him. Panic struck her as she noticed they were conversing. She couldn't make out what Neal was saying but she saw the witch pointing at the glass pane and for a minute Neal's eyes appeared to look at hers. A sense of relief crossed his face but was quickly replaced with confusion. 'Dammit, what is she saying to him?'

She knew she needed to save him. She placed her hands onto the lever and gave a small tug. Horror struck her. Her tug on the lever had caused several of the chains that were binding him to the ground to raise up into the air and strike his bare back. She watched as his head raised up in the air, face covered in agony. She heard his screams of pain surround her. She quickly let go of the lever and fell to the floor. 'What is going on?'

"Don't you just love to hear the screams of the man you love?"

Tears formed in Emma's eyes. "You bitch. What kind of game is this?"

"Freedom is the name of the game darling and freedom is not free. Don't you want him to be free? Just keep pulling the lever and I promise that I will set you both free. Play the game."

Emma wasn't sure she could do this but she felt that the witch was telling the truth. "All I need to do is pull the lever all the way and you will set us free?"

"Yes absolutely. I am a woman of my word."

Emma wiped her eyes quickly and moved back to the lever. She was terrified but she had to do this. They needed to get out of here. Henry needed his father. She needed him. Her hands were shaking as she pulled on the lever again. She refused to look at him this time but his screams again filled the room. More agonizing than the last time. She slowly moved the lever back further. For a moment she looked his way and regretted. His whole body was shaking and the chains were covered in his blood. His eyes were focused forward onto her and they were pleading with her to stop. She had never seen him look so scared and so hurt.

'Emma, you have to do this. Come on, just a little bit more and he will be free. Then you can take him to Rumple. He will heal him.' She forced her eyes shut, tears still escaping through her lids as she continued to slowly pull. "Emma, please stop. Please!" Her heart sank hearing him beg her to stop. "Please…please stop…" his whimpers and screams taunted her. She wanted more than anything to stop this but she couldn't afford to hesitate. With one last quick yank the lever reached its end point. The lever turned into dust in her hands and she fell to the floor sobbing. She crawled towards the glass and felt as it disappear in a cloud of smoke beneath her touch. She felt herself being transported. "No, please don't. I haven't gotten to him yet!"

Once the cloud dissipated she realized she was back in the cave where she had intended to be in the first place. Before her Neal was in the same position he had been chained in yet his chains were gone. Blood trickled down his back he was still whimpering in pain. Emma quickly moved towards him placing a gentle hand on top of his head. He tensed at her touch. "Emma…"

"Yes I am here. I am sorry. The witch she made me…she made me…hurt you."

"I know…" His voice was shaking. "the witch…tried to convince me you hated me. That you were…doing this because you wanted me to hurt like I had hurt you…feel…your…pa-" he didn't finish before he passed out. "Neal? NEAL? No, don't you dare. I just found you!" She raced out of the cave screaming help. Her father, who had been searching for her, came rushing in on his white stallion along with a few guards. They followed her into the cave. Two guards carried him on either side, careful not to touch his back, and they all made their way back to the palace. Emma rode behind Charming, crying softly into his back.

Neal had been unconscious for over a week. Rumplestiltskin had used his magic to heal the wounds but Neal's body was still traumatized and needed time to recover. Emma and Henry took turns staying with him. Emma felt so guilty for the pain she had caused him. She knew the witch had done all this as some sick joke and Snow continued to remind Emma that it wasn't her fault. She had no choice. She had to free him and sometimes freedom is a painful process.

Emma found herself reading from Henry's fairytale book while she waited for Neal to wake up. It seemed silly but they gave her comfort she was seeking. As she read the story of her mother being awoken by true loves kiss she looked up to see a familiar pair of eyes staring at her. "Neal…NEAL!" She threw the book onto the floor and reached across the bed resting her head on his chest as tears streamed down her face. She felt his hand gently touch her face, cupping her cheek. "Emma…are you okay? Did she hurt you? Is Henry okay?" She nodded. "Yes…I am fine now. How do you feel?"

"I am alive. You saved me Emma."

"I hurt you…those chains could have killed you."

"I promised I would see you again and there was no way some witches wicked game was going to prevent me from doing that."

Emma placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "Neal, I lo-"

He placed a finger on her lips. "Me first. I love you Emma."

"I love you too."


End file.
